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80 MOONFOLK.
seated cross-legged, smoking hie pipe as coolly as if he
lived in Robinson Crusoe's cave, and had only stepped
out for a breath of evening air.
" No, my dear Crusoe," continued he, nodding the
cock's-feather wildly forward, " we know you too well :
you and Friday had better go to work and build another
boat, or tame some more whales, we can't spare you our
carpet."
" Oh, well, never mind ;
I dare say I can make one
by thinking it over a little," said Robinson Crusoe carelessly.
"Won't you look round, before you go, and see
"
a few of my curiosities here on the island ? " Rhoda may,
if she likes ;
I think I'll stay by the
carpet.
And you may as well tell
your man Friday to
keep farther off. I see his black head sneaking up over
the edge of the cliff, plain enough ; bnt you won't get
the carpet, Robin, my boy neither ; you nor Friday."
" " Robin, Robin ! screamed a harsh voice from the
cave beneath their feet, at this moment.
" Robin, pretty boy, come see
"
Polly. Robin, Robin !
" Come and see Polly, won't you, Rhoda ? " asked
Robinson Crusoe, a little confused at being found out in
his plan for letting Friday steal the carpet while he led
away the Chimney-Elf and without
;
waiting for a reply,
he led the way down into the cave, followed rather timidly
by Rhoda.
Upon a perch just inside the entrance Eat
a pale-green parrot with a yellow head, who, at sight of
Robinson, began to run up and down her perch, nutter-